Nice, Cote D'Azur with a toddler - any good activities/places to go?

[ooosabeauta]

Hi,

We're going to Nice shortly, and will have our 19month old ds with us. We've been there quite often in the past so I know the area a bit, but the last time with ds was when he was 7 months old, a year ago.

This time he needs more entertaining and I'm wondering if anyone's got any experience of good places to go and things to do with a rumbunctious toddler in Nice? Be great to hear if you've been and did something good with dcs, thanks!

Stay in Juan Les Pins!!! The beach is fantastic. Soft golden sand - shallowly sloping into the sea. Parcs and roundabouts on the promenade. We stayed when my dd was about the same age and she loved it. There are nice child friendly restaurants on the beach too - you don't even need to put your shoes on.

Possibility to do boat trips, and the train runs up and down the coast so easy to visit other towns.

Castel aux deux rois is good for children, it's a park to the east of Nice behind the Port. No dogs allowed so it's safe to run about on the grass. There's a safe water play area with huge water sprayers (take a towel and swimwear) and a playground. Also a cafe (with loo) but it's a great place to take your own picnic, lots of families there all Sunday afternoon. There's a few goats to see and a tractor train I think. Good place to take a scooter if you have one. Only drawback is it's quite a climb to get to, but downhill all the way home. there's parking at the top if you have a car or you can take the bus, the no 30 I think, check on the lignesdazur website.

Marine land?

We lives ST Raphael and ST Maxime area for walking around etc with little ones.

Thank you all for your responses - I've just seen them now as we've just returned from Nice today! We went Tuesday-Saturday, but wish I'd seen your ideas first. Anyway, we'll try all those out next time, as they sound like great ideas. One of our friends who lives there said Marine Land too, so will definitely try it... Also Castel Aux Deux Rois sounds exactly the thing, esp after finding the dog issue quite annoying on the streets... Juan Les Pins I know is lovely too.

I only logged on expecting no-one to have posted, to put on that my ds really enjoyed Park Phoenix, opposite the airport, so much that we went twice! Thought I'd post it in case anyone looks at this thread to answer the same question. and it only costs 2E each, and entertained him for hours with the fish, ducks, musical fountain, alligators, tortoises etc. Anyway, apologies for rambling - am exhausted after a long day of travelling and can't think straight!

we are planning to go to Nice for a holiday with 2 DDs, 3 and 1. do you have some recommendations as where to stay? TIA

Sorry I've only just seen this. We always stay at an apartment just a road back from the sea front, so not really in the know re. hotels. It's in an area called 'Carras', which is on the west end of the promenade, and can take the bus along the prom to the old town. I think there are a lot of self-catering apartments available, which we prefer so that we can cook.

Hope you have a lovely time!

thanks and we booked a self catering apartment in the old town, it's definitely easier to be able to cook and have a bit of space. going this saturday and stay for a week. will check those kids friendly areas for sure!

There is a great water park close to Nice wih loads of pools, and water slides. Also some nice toddler pools. We have stayed in the area several times and the DCs have always begged to go back every time.

It is close to Juan les Pins - it's called Aquasplash or Aquapark.

thanks very much! i am packing and its our first time to fly with easyjet, i am thinking to take our back carrier, which does look a little bulky, anyone has taken this on a flight?

We took our DS1 to Nice when he was around the same age. We took the train to Monaco for a day trip - he loved it, so did we! It's a very picturesque journey and Monaco is easy to walk around. We walked to the top of the Hill, can't remember the name, but there were fantastic views and a play park for toddlers. You'll see where to go when you get there. I seem to remember you need passports to get into Monaco. Good luck!

Oh have a fantastic time emali! Expect the weather will be great for an aquapark visit too.

I haven't taken a backpack but did take our big buggy back in April and Easyjet broke it Still using it covered in masking tape now! It was very easy taking stuff for the 'hold' on the flight though despite what they do with it afterwards (ie. chucking indiscriminately I guess) - you just keep it with you until you walk up to the aeroplane to board, and then leave it at the bottom of the steps for them to load. Comes off on the conveyor at the other end. So it'd probably be very easy with a backpack.

Agree with Effjay about Monaco - clean and nice to walk around, and my parents went somewhere in Monaco with wonderful fish tanks that they said ds would love.

Have a super time

thanks everyone! we will take our big buggy (mountain buggy single)then. it will just make our life so much easier over there. looking forward to the trip! want to do day trips to Monaco, Cannes and possibly 1 day inland. but first of all need to make sure the DDs are happy, so lots of park and beach time in between.